Bob Carr: ‘I’m no bigot’

Former Labor foreign minister
Bob Carr
has unleashed a row over the influence of Jewish lobbyists on Australian politics and Middle East policy.

Mr Carr, who has published his memoir, Diary of a Foreign Minister, claims “extreme right-wing" pro-Israel lobbyists exerted an unhealthy influence over former prime minister
Julia Gillard
. The assertion prompted an angry response from Labor MP
Michael Danby
, who said Mr Carr’s assessment was “bigoted".

As the row escalated, the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network issued a statement endorsing Mr Carr’s ­comments.

The group’s president, George Browning, said there was nothing else to explain why Australia’s policy was “way to the right of the rest of the international community" than the influence of the Jewish lobby.

Bob Carr: ‘I think people can trust my judgment and I don’t think there is anything in there that by any stretch could be said to hurt Australia’s national interests.’
Photo: David Porter

Meanwhile, the Melbourne-based Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council at the centre of the claims again rejected them.

‘Splendid book’

An unabashed Mr Carr said he welcomed extra sales generated by controversy surrounding his “splendid book", which was designed to give average Australians an insight into what it is like to be the foreign minister.

The book is a blow-by-blow account of 18 months spent criss-crossing the world, complete with details of his breakfast habits and preference for ­flying first class.

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Labor MP
David Feeney
told the ABC’s Capital Hill program the book was an indulgence on Mr Carr’s behalf. He rejected the claims about Jewish lobbyists as “nonsensical".

Another Labor MP,
Anthony Byrne
, said: “If you ever wanted an example of the narcissism, self-indulgence and immaturity that ran through the Labor party during its six years in government, Bob Carr is it."

Mr Carr, the former NSW premier, was handed a Senate seat by Ms Gillard in 2012, who then gave him his dream job as foreign minister.

He defended himself against ­accusations of bigotry.

“I’ve been historically a very strong friend of Israel. To say that I’m a bigot really does overlook my association with Jewish causes through the years," said Mr Carr.

“I think people can trust my judgment and I don’t think there is anything in there that by any stretch could be said to hurt Australia’s national interests."